ReNamer

At a Glance

Renaming one file is easy. Renaming a dozen is tedious. Renaming
a thousand...get someone else to do it, or get ReNamer, a wonderful
free/donationware program which allows you to set up fairly robust
rules for renaming files in a batch.

ReNamer has a simple, straightforward, interface. You set up
some rules--such as "Replace the file extension" or "Delete the
last 4 characters"--and then select files to which to apply the
rules. A very useful preview option allows you to see what
you're going to get before you execute the process, saving unending
amounts of grief and encouraging experimentation. Once you're
satisfied with the results, ReNamer goes to work, renaming all the
input files according to your rules.

ReNamer passes my most important test: Can you get it to do
something useful without reading the manual? While there is
detailed documentation (and I do not discount the utility of it),
ReNamer is simple enough (if you are used to thinking in terms like
prefixes, suffixes, and regular expressions) that you can do many
common tasks without cracking the books...er...opening the PDF.

It's free. It's useful. It does one job but covers most
variations of that job. I can see no reason not to add ReNamer to
your toolbox.

Note: This program is donationware. It is free
to try, but the author accepts and encourages donations towards
further development.